Narrative Reading Self-Assessment Rubric

Level 3 Level 4 Level 5

Analyzing □□ When asked to talk about □□ When asked to talk about □□ I used literary language
Parts of the importance of a part the importance of a part to write about how this
a Story in of the story to the whole of the story to the whole part or story element is
Relation to story, I named the part story, I named one part or important to the whole
the Whole or story element (the aspect of a story—an event, story.
problem, the setting). setting, minor character. □□ I discussed how this part
□□ I wrote to explain how □□ I wrote about the supports a larger idea or
this part is important importance of the part theme in the text.
to the whole story. to the whole story. If it is
If it is the setting, for the setting, for example,
example, I thought “How I thought “How does this
is this particular setting particular setting create
important to the story?” a mood or explain the
tension in the story?”

Analyzing □□ I noted when an author □□ I identified the craft □□ I identified the craft
Author’s does something that techniques the author techniques the author
Craft stands out. used. used.
□□ I wrote to think about □□ I wrote about the goal □□ I wrote about the goals
why an author may have the author seems to have the writer might have had
written in that way. been trying to achieve. in mind.
□□ If asked to do so, I wrote □□ I used literary language in
about craft techniques the my response.
author uses to support the □□ I wrote about how the text
theme, to highlight what would have been different
the story is really about. if the author had made
different craft choices.

(continues)

May be photocopied for classroom use. © 2015 by Lucy Calkins and Colleagues from the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project from Units of Study for Teaching Reading (Heinemann: Portsmouth, NH).
 Narrative Reading Self-Assessment Rubric (continued)
Level 3 Level 4 Level 5
Determining □□ I wrote about a life lesson □□ I wrote about a theme □□ I wrote about more than
Themes/ that the character learned. that comes through across one theme that the story
Cohesion □□ I wrote about how a part most of the story. develops.
of the story showed this □□ I provided details from □□ I discussed how parts of
lesson. across the text that the text develop each
support that theme. theme, and mentioned
□□ I explained how those key details.
parts from across the story □□ I discussed the
show this theme. technique(s) the author
uses to highlight at least
one of the themes.

Comparing □□ When I read books that are □□ After reading two stories □□ When I read several
and somewhat similar or that with a similar theme, texts, I could discuss how
Contrasting go together in a series, I I could write about the same theme was
Story noted how the sequence similarities and differences developed in similar and
Elements of events in the two stories in the theme and in the different ways across the
and Themes was similar and how it was ways the theme was texts.
different, one story to the developed in the two □□ As part of this, I discussed
next. texts. how author’s craft was
□□ I also discussed how story □□ I could also compare other used differently in each
elements in the two books story elements. I asked text to develop the theme.
(like the setting, or the myself, “Do characters
main characters) were from the texts react in
partly the same and partly similar ways to an issue?
different. Does the setting have
a similar role in the two
stories?”

May be photocopied for classroom use. © 2015 by Lucy Calkins and Colleagues from the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project from Units of Study for Teaching Reading (Heinemann: Portsmouth, NH).